# Need something to keep my 17 y.o. brother occupied during the summer. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 2, 2014, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165 "2014-07-02T04:13:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/1 "2014-07-02T04:13:28Z")
It’s becoming more and more apparent that we need to find an activity for my brother that will keep him busy and get him out of the house for the rest of summer vacation. It would be a good idea regardless, but our other brother died a few months ago, and now that he’s out of school – with no work filling his hours or friends surrounding him – it’s taking a bigger toll. So, I need ideas, the more the merrier. He’s got a 10-day college application prep course starting in 2-3 weeks, and on Thursday he’s volunteering at a Habitat for Humanity work site. If he really likes the HFH thing then he could do that basically full time, and that would be great. But it’ll be a new experience for him, and at the least I want some backup plans in case it doesn’t grab him. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Rain\_Soaked](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19adc/32.png) [@Rain\_Soaked](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rain_Soaked)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/2 "2014-07-02T04:56:13Z")
Does he like to swim? How about taking some life-guarding courses? Also, first aid or industrial first aid would assist in any construction he is doing. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/3 "2014-07-02T04:57:34Z")
When I was that age, a 17 year old girl kept me out of the house. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/4 "2014-07-02T05:35:39Z")
> [@Rain\_Soaked](#): > > Does he like to swim? How about taking some life-guarding courses? Also, first aid or industrial first aid would assist in any construction he is doing. Nah, we’re city boys, no beaches around, and he’s not a strong swimmer. > [@Rick](#): > > When I was that age, a 17 year old girl kept me out of the house. That’d be nice, but he’s got to get out of the house to meet a girl in the first place (goes to an all-boys school). ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/5 "2014-07-02T08:55:36Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > Nah, we’re city boys, no beaches around, and he’s not a strong swimmer. Well in that case he should be hanging around the pool hall smoking Marlboros and hustling suckers. Oh wait, it’s not the 70’s anymore. How about guitar lessons? I don’t suppose you want to get him a dog. ---
**Author:** ![Boogly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Boogly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boogly)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/6 "2014-07-02T08:56:40Z")
What about other volunteering? Does he do well around people or animals? The more he gets out the better chance something will pick him up. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/7 "2014-07-02T12:08:24Z")
I’d suggest something that, if he sticks with it will generate benefits for the rest of his life: working out in a gym. Specifically do a little research on “barbell training in xxx” on Google, with xxx being your city. If you want I can also do some research on my own as I know a lot of good places for this around the country. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/8 "2014-07-02T12:19:43Z")
> [@zoid](#): > > I don’t suppose you want to get him a dog. A dog is for life, not to keep someone occupied for one summer. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/9 "2014-07-02T12:22:41Z")
I second the gym membership suggestion. Start working out now and learn to make exercise a habit. Maybe he can avoid the[Freshman 15.](http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/expert-qa-avoiding-freshman-15-connie-diekman) ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/10 "2014-07-02T12:26:49Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > A dog is for life, not to keep someone occupied for one summer. ☹ I was kind of hoping they’d, you know, bond and he’d feel the need to keep it. 😉 Also taking it to the park is a great way to get outside and even meet people. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/11 "2014-07-02T12:35:13Z")
LARPing. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/12 "2014-07-02T13:02:49Z")
Is he (relatively) athletic and like the spurts? He could go to said gyms and join a flag football/kickball/softball league for a number of weeks ---
**Author:** ![CheshireKat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheshirekat/32/1207_2.png) [@CheshireKat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheshireKat)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/13 "2014-07-02T13:55:44Z")
Buy him a 3000 piece jigsaw puzzle, discard the box and tell him the completed puzzle has hidden porn images? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/14 "2014-07-02T14:22:20Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > LARPing. You want him to _never_ meet a girl? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/15 "2014-07-02T16:08:02Z")
How about a _Job?_ ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/16 "2014-07-02T17:44:53Z")
Get a job for 2-3 weeks? Doing what? If he’s reading, playing video games, hanging out, it’s not the end of the world. If he’s just staring at the wall or resorting to vandalism, maybe an intervention is needed. But what does HE want to do? He’s 17, he can speak for himself. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/17 "2014-07-02T17:57:36Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > You want him to _never_ meet a girl? That was already suggested. Kind of an either/or situation, really. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/18 "2014-07-02T18:44:44Z")
Um, a job?? ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/19 "2014-07-02T18:55:07Z")
Thanks for all the suggestions so far – keep 'em coming. We’ve tried to get him to do some exercise, but he’s resistant. A job probably would have been ideal, but it would have needed to be set up before now, unfortunately. Perhaps something educational. He’s sorry that school is out of session, and looking forward to the college prep course. (His grades are mediocre, but he enjoys school.) Some kind of course at the YMCA or something? Where can one go to be in classroom for a month? ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2014, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165/20 "2014-07-02T18:59:37Z")
Short course at the local community college? I still think guitar lessons would be good. They have group lessons if he’s looking for a social experience. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-something-to-keep-my-17-y-o-brother-occupied-during-the-summer/692165.md?page=2)